Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
#4 The Two Overarching Perspectives: Historical and Contemporary
#5 The Historical Perspective: Three Viewpoints
Section 2.1 describes two principal theoretical perspectives—the historical and the
contemporary. There are six reasons for studying theoretical perspectives: 1) understanding of
the present, 2) guide to action, 3) source of new ideas, 4) clues to meaning of your managers’
decisions, 5) clues to meaning of outside events, and 6) producing positive results.
Topics and Tips for Discussion:
1. There is an old adage that “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
How can that sentiment be applied to the study of management?
2. What do you see as the idea that will have the most profound impact on management
practice over the next 10 to 15 years? Defend your point of view.
Section 2.1 Key Concepts:
The Handbook of Peter Drucker
Six Practical Reasons for Studying This Chapter
● Understanding of the present.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-11
● Clues to meaning of outside events.
● Producing positive results.
Interactive Classroom Material:
EXAMPLE: Zappos Holacracy: A Success or a Failure?
Most companies are organized in traditional hierarchies, from the CEO through layers of
management down to non-supervisory workers. Tony Hsieh introduced a revolutionary type of
Click for follow-up activity.
Two Overarching Perspectives about Management
2.2 Classical Viewpoint: Scientific & Administrative
Management
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#6 Classical Viewpoint: Scientific Management
#7 Scientific Management
#8 The Gilbreths and Motion Studies
#9 Administrative Management—Charles Clinton Spaulding
#10 Administrative Management—Henri Fayol
#11 Administrative Management—Max Weber
#12 Why the Classical Viewpoint Is Important
#13 The Problem with the Classical Viewpoint
Section 2.2 describes the classical viewpoint. This viewpoint emphasized ways to manage work
more efficiently and had two approaches: (a) scientific management, and (b) administrative
management. Scientific management emphasized the scientific study of work methods to
improve the productivity of individual workers. Administrative management was concerned with
managing the total organization.
ONLINE
VIDEO
ONLINE
VIDEO
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-12
Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
One way that you could begin your coverage of these topics is to have the students watch the
video “Ford and Taylor Scientific Management.” This 7-minute video describes steps taken to
make cars quickly and at a low price using the principles of scientific management. For a
supplemental activity, have the students debate the extent to which they agree with Taylor’s
views that “Hardly a workman can be found who doesn’t devote his time to studying just how
slowly he can work.”
Topics and Tips for Discussion:
1. Thinking of your current or most recent position, provide examples of how you could
apply the principles of scientific management to perform your work more efficiently.
2. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “bureaucracy”? Do you feel the
term’s negative connotation is warranted? Defend your point of view.
Section 2.2 Key Concepts:
The Classical Viewpoint
Scientific Management
● Scientific management emphasized the scientific study of work methods in order to
improve the productivity of individual workers.
● Frederick Taylor believed that managers could eliminate soldiering, deliberately working
at less than full capacity, by applying four principles of science.
● Taylor used motion studies, in which he broke down each worker’s job into basic
physical units, and then trained workers to use the best possible methods.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-13
● He suggested using a differential rate system in which more efficient workers earned
higher wages.
Administrative Management
● Administrative management is concerned with managing the total organization rather
than individual workers.
● Henry Fayol was the first to systemize the study of management behavior, and he
identified the major functions of management—planning, organizing, leading, and
controlling.
● German sociologist Max Weber described a bureaucracy as a rational, efficient, ideal
organization based on principles of logic.
● A better-performing organization should have five positive bureaucratic features:
The Problem with the Classical Viewpoint: Too Mechanistic
● The essence of the classical viewpoint was that work activity could be approached
rationally.
● The flaw with this viewpoint is that it is mechanistic: it tends to view humans as cogs
within a machine.
2.3 Behavioral Viewpoint: Behaviorism, Human Relations, &
Behavioral Science
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#15 Behavioral Viewpoint: Behaviorism, Human Relations, and Behavioral Science
#16 Early Behaviorism—Hugo Munsterberg
#17 Early Behaviorism—Mary Parker Follett
#18 Early Behaviorism—Elton Mayo
#19 The Human Relations Movement
#20 Douglas McGregor—Theory X versus Theory Y
#21 The Behavioral Science Approach
Section 2.3 describes the behavioral viewpoint. This viewpoint emphasized the importance of
understanding human behavior and of motivating employees toward achievement. This
viewpoint developed over three phases: early behaviorism; the human relations movement; and
the behavioral science approach.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-15
Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
● The behavioral viewpoint emphasized the importance of understanding human behavior
and of motivating employees toward achievement.
● The behavioral viewpoint developed over three phases: early behaviorism, the human
relations movement, and behavioral science.
The Work of Hugo Munsterberg
● Called “the father of industrial psychology,” Munsterberg suggested that psychologists
could contribute to industry in three ways:
● His ideas led to the field of industrial psychology, the study of human behavior in work
places.
The Work of Mary Parker Follett
● Mary Parker Follett was a social worker and social philosopher who believed in power
sharing among employees and managers.
● Instead of following the usual hierarchical arrangement, Follett thought organizations
should become more democratic.
● Her most important ideas were that:
The Work of Elton Mayo
● Conducted by Elton Mayo at Western Electric’s Hawthorne plant, the Hawthorne studies
began with an investigation into whether workplace lighting level affected worker
productivity.
● Mayo hypothesized the Hawthorne effect—employees worked harder if they received
added attention.
The Human Relations Movement
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-16
● The human relations movement proposed that better human relations could increase
worker productivity.
● One human relations theory was proposed by Abraham Maslow in his hierarchy of needs,
which included physiological needs, safety, social needs, esteem, and self-actualization.
● Another human relations theory was Theory X versus Theory Y as proposed by Douglas
McGregor.
Self-Assessment 2.1
What Is Your Orientation toward Theory X/Theory Y?
This 16-question Self-Assessment gauges students’ orientations toward Theory X/Y
management behaviors. Questions on responsibility, initiative, ambition, and self-motivation are
presented.
Click for self-assessment activity.
The Behavioral Science Approach
● The human relations movement came to be considered too simplistic for practical use.
● Behavioral science relies on scientific research for developing theories about human
behavior that can be used to provide practical tools for managers.
Interactive Classroom Material:
EXAMPLE: Application of Behavioral Science Approach: The Open-Plan Office—
Productivity Enhancer or Productivity Killer?
Organizations began experimenting with open-plan office spaces in the 1950s, and up to 80
percent of offices today utilize this idea. The question to be answered is: Do open-space floor
plans actually contribute to better communication, higher productivity, and better interpersonal
relations? Are the potential benefits outweighed by noise (both audio and visual) and lack of
privacy?
2.4 Quantitative Viewpoints Management Science &
Operations Management
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#23 Quantitative Viewpoints
#24 Management Science
#25 Operations Management
Section 2.4 describes quantitative viewpoints, which emphasize the application to management
of quantitative techniques, such as statistics and computer simulations. Two approaches of
quantitative management are management science and operations management.
Topics and Tips for Discussion
1. Provide examples of how your employer (or a previous one) has used management
science and/or operations management to improve its operations.
2. Discuss how the quantitative views on management could be applied to address the
unique challenges that online retailers experience.
Section 2.4 Key Concepts:
Quantitative Viewpoints
● Quantitative viewpoints emphasize the application to management of quantitative
techniques, such as statistics and computer simulations.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-18
● Two branches of quantitative management are management science and operations
management.
Management Science: Using Mathematics to Solve Management Problems
Operations Management: Being More Effective
● Operations management focuses on managing the production and delivery of an
organization’s products or services more effectively.
Interactive Classroom Material:
EXAMPLE: Operations Management at Intel
Click for follow-up activity.
2.5 Systems Viewpoint
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#27 The Contemporary Perspective
#28 Systems Viewpoint
#29 Closed versus Open Systems
Section 2.5 discusses the systems viewpoint, one of the three contemporary perspectives. The
systems viewpoint sees organizations as a system, either open or closed, with inputs,
transformation processes, outputs, and feedback. The systems viewpoint has led to the
development of complexity theory, the study of how order and pattern arise from very
complicated, apparently chaotic systems.
ARTICLE
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-19
Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
have the students apply systems theory and discuss how Sports Authority failed to be successful,
even with sales of fitness apparel increasing due to the “athleisure” trend.
Topics and Tips for Discussion
1. Thinking of your current or most recent employer, describe how the organization used
feedback to ensure competitive advantage.
2. Use systems theory to identify the most important systems parts for your university or
academic institution. Specifically, describe important inputs, transformational processes,
3. Is a university an open or closed system?
Section 2.5 Key Concepts:
The Systems Viewpoint
● A system is a set of interrelated parts that operate together to achieve a common purpose.
● The systems viewpoint regards the organization as a system of interrelated parts.
● The organization is both: a collection of subsystems, parts making up the whole system,
and a part of the larger environment.
The Four Parts of a System
● Inputs are the people, money, information, and materials required to produce an
organization’s goods or services.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-20
Connect® Exercise
CASE ANALYSIS: Best Buy Uses Management Theories to Improve Corporate Performance
Summary of Activity:
The Internet of things affects all of our lives, particularly when it comes to online shopping. This
trend in turn has put great pressure on big box retail stores like Best Buy to compete with the
likes of Amazon. This case analysis asks students to read about what Best Buy has done to
compete with organizations like Amazon. Students will respond to five multiple-choice questions
after reading the case.
Follow-Up Activity:
Students should be put into groups of 3 or 4. Each group should be tasked with creating a
Closed Versus Open Systems
● A closed system has little interaction with its environment; that is, it receives very little
feedback from the outside.
● Any organization that ignores feedback from the environment risks failure.
● Nearly all systems are open systems rather than closed systems.
Complexity Theory: The Ultimate Open System
● The systems viewpoint has led to the development of complexity theory, the study of
how order and pattern arise from very complicated, apparently chaotic systems.
Connect® Exercise
CLICK AND DRAG: The Systems Viewpoint
Summary of Activity:
The systems viewpoint sees organizations as a system, either open or closed, with inputs,
outputs, transformation processes, and feedback. In this Click and Drag exercise, students will
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
put the steps of the systems viewpoint process in the correct order based on a provided mini–
case.
Interactive Classroom Material:
EXAMPLE: Do Nudges Achieve Results? Using the Systems Viewpoint to Find Out
2.6 Contingency Viewpoint
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#30 Contingency Viewpoint
#31 Evidence-Based Management
Section 2.6 describes the contingency viewpoint, which emphasizes that a manager’s approach
should vary according to the individual and environmental situation.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-22
Copyright © 2020 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of
McGraw-Hill Education.
Students should discuss what types of evidence they would use (e.g. credible sources
describing how telecommuting can be positive for organizational efficiency).
Section 2.6 Key Concepts:
Contingency Viewpoint
● The classical viewpoints assumed that their approaches were “the one best way” to
manage organizations.
Interactive Classroom Material:
EXAMPLE: The Contingency Viewpoint: Manufacturers Pitch Parents to Recruit Their
Kids
This Example discusses how some companies facing labor shortages for key, technical jobs are
encouraging parents to ask, “Do all children need to attend a four–year college?” Some
Click for follow-up activity.
Insights from Gary Hamel
● According to Gary Hamel of the Management Innovation Lab, management ideas are not
fixed; they are a process.
● Hamel suggests that management should be innovative, and this process begins by
identifying core beliefs people have about the organization.
● Discovering these core beliefs can be achieved by asking the “right” questions:
o Is this a belief worth challenging?
o Is this belief universally valid?
o How does this belief serve the interests of its adherents?
o Have our choices and assumptions conspired to make this belief self-fulfilling?
Evidence-Based Management
● Evidence-based management means translating principles based on best evidence into
organizational practice, bringing rationality to the decision-making process.
Interactive Classroom Material:
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
PRACTICAL ACTION: Evidence-Based Management: Big Data
Big Data refers to vast, complex data sets that companies are mining to spot trends and help with
Click for follow-up activity.
2.7 Quality-Management Viewpoint
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#32 Quality-Management Viewpoint
#33 Total Quality Management (TQM)
#34 Six Sigma and ISO 9000
Section 2.7 describes the quality-management viewpoint. This viewpoint consists of quality
control, quality assurance, and the movement of total quality management (TQM) dedicated to
continuous quality improvement, training, and customer satisfaction.
As a follow-up activity, have the class discuss their experiences with calls from call centers. A
majority of the class will most likely feel as if these calls, soliciting feedback or selling a product
or service, are a burden. How does the class believe the Nice Quality Central product, and total
quality management as a whole, can improve the experience for potential customers who receive
calls?
Topics and Tips for Discussion
1. Describe the quality control measures or TQM approaches used by your employer (or a
previous one), and discuss how they impact management practices at the firm.
2. Discuss how your school could apply the principles of TQM. How should an academic
institution measure quality?
2-24
3. Think of a recent business with which you had a bad customer experience. Discuss how
the principles of TQM could be applied to improve experiences for future customers.
Section 2.7 Key Concepts:
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
● Quality refers to the total ability of a product or service to meet customer needs.
● Quality control is defined as the strategy for minimizing errors by managing each stage
of production.
Total Quality Management
● W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran were pioneers in introducing quality
management to manufacturing.
o Deming believed that quality stemmed from “constancy of purpose” along with
statistical measurement and reduction of variations in the production process.
● Total quality management (TQM) is a comprehensive approach—led by top
management and supported throughout the organization—dedicated to continuous quality
improvement, training, and customer satisfaction.
● TQM has four components:
o Make continuous improvement a priority.
o Get every employee involved.
● The total quality management viewpoint emphasizes infusing concepts of quality
throughout the total organization in a way that will deliver quality products and services
to customers.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
2-25
Six Sigma
● A rigorous statistical-analysis process that measures and reduces defects in and improves
manufacturing and service-related processes.
● Relies on two processes:
o DMAIC: series of steps called Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and
• Discussed further in Chapter 16
Connect® Exercise
VIDEO CASE: Danny Meyer
Summary of Activity:
In this case, first students will watch a video on Danny Meyer, the founder of Shake Shack, and
they will learn about Meyer’s forward-thinking management style. They will then respond to
multiple-choice questions.
Follow-up Activity:
Instructors should have students consider these follow-up questions:
1. What problems do you see with going cashless in a restaurant? Do you think Danny Meyer’s
response in the video will suffice?
2. Dining outside the United States usually consists of marginal or no tips. Do you think this
impacts the level of service received?
If time allows, have a class discussion about these questions.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 2.2
To What Extent Is Your Organization Committed to Total Quality Management?
This 16-question self-assessment will gauge students’ current employers’ commitment to total
Click for self-assessment activity.
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
Group Exercise: Which Are the Best Companies to Work for in the United States and
Why?
There is a group exercise available at the end of this manual that describes the best companies to
work for.
Exercise Objectives:
2017.
2.8 The Learning Organization in an Era of Accelerated
Change
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#35 The Learning Organization
#36 How to Build a Learning Organization
Section 2.8 describes learning organizations. Learning organizations actively create, acquire, and
transfer knowledge within themselves and are able to modify their behavior to reflect new
knowledge. Managers in learning organizations build a commitment to learning, work to
generate ideas with impact, and work to generalize ideas.
2-27
2. Discuss how learning organizations would be better able to deal with the managerial
challenges discussed in Chapter 1.
Section 2.8 Key Concepts:
Learning Organizations
● Organizations, like people, must continually learn new things or face obsolescence.
● A learning organization is an organization that actively creates, acquires, and transfers
knowledge within itself and is able to modify its behavior to reflect new knowledge.
● Managers in learning organizations:
How Managers Build a Learning Organization
● To create a learning organization, managers must perform three key functions or roles:
(1) build a commitment to learning, (2) work to generate ideas with impact, and (3) work
to generalize ideas with impact.
o To build a commitment to learning, managers must lead the way by investing in
learning, publicly promoting learning, and creating rewards for learning.
Connect® Exercise
CLICK AND DRAG: The Learning Organization
Summary of Activity:
Kinicki/Williams, Management, 9e: Chapter 2 Management Theory: Essential Background for the Successful
Manager
A learning organization is an organization that actively creates, acquires, and transfers
knowledge within itself and is able to modify its behavior to reflect new knowledge. In this Click
and Drag exercise, students will match managers with the proper aspects of learning
organizations based on the provided descriptions.
SELF-ASSESSMENT 2.3
Are You Working for a Learning Organization?
2.9 Career Corner: Managing Your Career Readiness
POWERPOINT SLIDES:
#37 Model of Career Readiness
#38 Managing Your Career Readiness
Section 2.9 describes the career competency of understanding the business and the seven things
one should know before showing up for a job interview: (1) the company’s mission and vision
statements, (2) the company’s core values and culture, (3) the history of the company, (4) key
organizational players, (5) the company’s products, services, and clients, (6) current events and
accomplishments, and (7) comments from current or previous employees.
Topics and Tips for Discussion
1. Have you ever been asked what you know about an organization during an interview? If
so, how did you respond?
2-29
2. How can you learn more about organizations?
Understanding the business
● This competency was defined in Table 1.2 (Chapter 1) as the extent to which you
understand a company’s business and strategies and the needs of its stakeholders. Seven
things one should know before showing up for a job interview:
1. the company’s mission and vision statements.
3. the history of the company.
5. the company’s products, services, and clients.
7. comments from current or previous employees.
Connect® Exercise
CLICK AND DRAG: Management History—Understanding the Business
Summary of Activity:
Career Corner Group Exercise: Understanding the Business
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will deepen their understanding of the career competency of understanding the
business.
CAREER
READINESS